A STRANGE STORY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1015, 19 January 1869, Page 3

A STRANGE STORY.

(IVom Indian " Public Oj-iuion," Ocloher 13.) MVe publish a very extraordinary letter from a young Englishwoman to au Indian Maharajah. The letter is a bonafule one, and.it was in the presence of a European officer on a visit to the native nobleman that the mail brought it in, and that ifc was made over to him to translate, to the evident consternation of thenativehearers. The letter is accompanied by a testimonial from a minister of religion, testifying to the lady's qualifications for the position of a wife. It would be charitable to assume, as indeed is nofc improbable, that both the young woman and her spiritual adviser w T ere lunatics, for as long as native society is not reformed, there cau be no doubfc that the wife of the lowest and poorest English peasant enjoys a life of greater freedom, happiness, and esteem than the partner of the most exalted oriental prince. In spite of these days of railways and national education, many in England continue to be the slaves of stereotypedideas, and one of these ideas is, that every adventurer with a black skin is a hero, a I genius, and an apostle. Of course, this ! letter is an extreme instance of that notion I acting on a feeble and deranged mind. But ! we have another rdfeon for publishing this letter. Many native gentlemen have been victimised by European swindlers and de- \ mimondaines, and we should not be surprised thafc this letter too is one of those "His Majesty the Maharajah of , Southern India. " May it please your Majesty, — I am a young lady of highly respectable connexions ; my papa and mamma are both dead, and I am now residing with a Wesleyan minister, whose name is Key. . I am twenty-one years of age, and have some property, and am anxious to be married to some one very high and rich. A king is whafc I want, and as you have been so highly spoken of in the newspapers [a fow words here are almost illegible, bufc they look like * there inform'] that you are a very rich, noble, good gentleman, you will pardon me, I hope, for writing to ask whether you have any matrimonial engagement, and if not, whether you would be willing to correspond with me with a view to mai-riage. If we can agree, I should not object to come out to India and reside in your palace with you as my husband, where we could have plenty of servants to wait on us, and plenty of money to live upon. " Will you be kind enough to let me know by the return. ;of post what you think ofthis, my proposal, whether ifc ex-, actly meets your views, and, if so, when we could be married. " I should wish to know in time to have all ready for the voyage to India and for my marriage when I arrived there, unless you would be pleased to come to England for me, and then we could go out together. " This would be very nice indeed, but I shall not make any further arrangements, till such time as I hear from you. " Hoping to hear from you when the mail returns from India, I am yours most truly, "J M . " , Cornwall, England, " 25th August, 1868." To this is attached the letter of the Wesleyan minister : " I hereby state that I have known Miss M ■ intimately for four years past, and have always found her to be a very nice, amiable, kind, and excellent young lady. She has lived with us for more than twelve months, so we kuow what an excellent wife she would be to any gentleman who could have her. She is well educated, having studied music and several languages. She is piously disposed, and a member of our church, which she has been for several years. Her parents were very highly respectable, and as they are now dead she has control over all the property belonging to her. Should any more information be required, I shall be glad to supply it. — — ."